Law slowly set down his teacup, glanced at Clover, whose expression had suddenly changed, then turned his gaze to Salin. Without a word, he reached out and telekinetically pulled the teacup in front of Salin into his palm.
Clover's cheek twitched slightly at the sight. He knew his risky move this time was about to backfire. His hand, hidden under the table, slowly reached for a button concealed beneath it.
Had he been completely ignorant of Law's strength, even if his scheme had been exposed on the spot, his well-practiced composure would have prevented him from showing any signs of guilt so easily.
But the power Law displayed last night had already left him unsettled. Even a single pointed remark was enough to rattle him.
"Enough people died last night. If you don't want more to follow, don't make any reckless moves."
Law, holding Salin's teacup, suddenly shot a glance at Clover. The faint Aura he exuded was enough to freeze the experienced Clover in place, his outstretched hand stiffening before it could reach the button.
"What? Is there something wrong with the tea?"
Salin frowned, her eyes darting between the two men. From Law's words, she sensed something was amiss.
"Mhm."
Law nodded, dipping his finger into the tea. Using the White Smoke Font, he analyzed the substance mixed into it… even Salin's cup had been tampered with.
"Zombie Powder. A colorless, odorless drug that renders its victims completely paralyzed within half an hour of ingestion. Am I right, Mr. Clover?"
Law's gaze turned cold as he stared at Clover.
If Zombie Powder's effects were anything more severe than temporary paralysis… if it caused actual physical harm, he wouldn't have settled for merely pressuring Clover mentally.
Mostly, Law suspected Clover had drugged them because he'd discovered Law had secretly taken three treasures last night. If that were the case, then Law was the one at fault here.
Clover struggled to suppress the turmoil in his emotions, but the constant twitching of his cheek betrayed him.
'Is this the terrifying perceptiveness of a veteran Hunter?'
'To identify Zombie Powder in the tea before the drug could even take effect…'
Clover took a deep breath. His hand was less than a palm's length away from the hidden button, but he didn't dare move another inch.
Even if he summoned the guards stationed nearby now, it would only lead to meaningless casualties… and he would likely be the first to die.
"I underestimated you."
A trace of fear flickered across Clover's face.
"Salin, come over here."
Law activated En, his Aura spreading outward. Within his perception range, only the two servants in the room were present. There were no guards lurking outside, meaning Clover had been gambling heavily.
By not stationing guards, Clover had maximized the risk to himself while lowering his target's guard, thereby increasing his chances of success.
But his target was Law.
A plan like this was doomed to fail from the start.
Salin shot a cold glance at Clover before walking over to Law's side.
Law placed a hand on her and used his ability to extract the Zombie Powder that had seeped into her body, then flicked it toward the two servants in the room.
Once that was done, he turned his gaze back to Clover and said coolly, "If it weren't for me, you'd be dead after last night. Is this how you repay your savior?"
Perhaps because he had nothing left to lose, Clover barely managed to steady the storm of emotions inside him and glared at Law, "The ones who attacked last night were the Phantom Troupe. And you… you have close ties to them."
"Close ties?" Law raised an eyebrow.
Clover sneered and said, "It wasn't hard to uncover. Or are you going to deny it, Floor Master Law of Heavens Arena?"
Law fell silent for a moment. It seemed Clover had indeed dug up quite a bit of information, leading him to suspect Law's involvement in the Phantom Troupe's raid last night… hence his desperate attempt to strike first.
From that perspective, Law's carelessness in not wearing his mask when heading to the museum last night had become his biggest mistake.
But the truth was, he had driven the Troupe away and helped Clover preserve the vast majority of the museum's collection.
Moreover, Clover's reasoning was full of holes. This alone shouldn't have been enough to make him act so rashly. There had to be another motive.
"So you think I was involved in the Phantom Troupe's attack on the Ohara Museum last night?" Law asked.
"Yes." Clover's voice was cold.
"If that were the case, why didn't the Phantom Troupe take the collections they'd already bundled up?" Law countered calmly.
Clover's pupils contracted slightly. He had no retort.
"If that were the case, I wouldn't have stopped those flying utensils last night. Once you were dead, wouldn't things have been much simpler?" Law continued.
Clover's expression shifted subtly. His hands, resting on his knees, clenched slowly.
Pushed into a corner like this, his motives now seemed flimsy at best.
"You don't have to say anything. I have ways of making you talk."
Law smiled faintly, as if it were of no consequence.
That carefree smile sent a chill down Clover's spine, despite all the dangers he'd faced in his life.
A moment later, Clover suddenly reached into his pocket and pulled out a silenced pistol.
Seeing this, Salin's expression turned cold as she prepared to make the first move to stop Clover. However, Law reached out and pressed her shoulder, signaling her to stay put.
Just as Salin was about to question his decision, she saw Clover raise his pistol and fire at the two servants in the room.
The suppressed gunshots were nearly inaudible, the two bullets precisely blowing open the servants' heads. Brain matter exploded from the back of their skulls, splattering the wall behind them with blood.
Thud.
The corpses slumped limply to the ground with a dull sound.
Law and Salin watched the scene unfold, exchanging a silent glance.
Clover expressionlessly holstered his gun and said, "Someone wants you dead. I didn't have the right to refuse."
"Who?" Law asked.
"Moreen Edie, a senior cabinet official of the Begerossé Union."
"Oh?"
Law's eyelids lifted slightly. He didn't recognize the name, but he had a vague idea of the connection.
Clover stared at him and said gravely, "Their orders were to paralyze you with zombie powder. After that, someone would come to take you away. As for Salin... their command was to dispose of her immediately."
Law suddenly moved.
Clover only saw a blur… the next second, Law was back in his seat, except now he was holding a still-beating heart in his hand.
"This is your heart."
Law gave it a light squeeze.
Clover let out a muffled groan, his face paling instantly.
Law had used just enough force to cause minimal pain, but it was enough to make Clover fully aware of the brutal reality.
"Don't worry. As long as you behave, your life isn't in immediate danger."
Law sealed the heart directly into his book, then stood and darted toward the window. Before leaving, he instructed Salin to keep an eye on Clover.
Once outside, Law leaped lightly a few times, landing on the palace rooftop. He expanded his En to its maximum range, covering a diameter of over two hundred meters.
"Not here."
After scanning the area and finding nothing, he turned his gaze toward another palace-like structure… the residence of the Ohara Museum's servants and staff.